Platen cover for copying machine

ABSTRACT

A platen cover for a copying machine in which a top housing is formed by contiguous walls with an opened bottom overlying a platen glass on which document material to be reproduced is placed. A diaphragm assembly under tension is secured to the bottom of the top housing to ensure lighttight covering of the platen glass to prevent radiation from emanating beyond the cover.

United States Patent Jones et a1.

[54] PLATEN COVER FOR COPYING MACHINE [72] Inventors: Hugh L. Jones, Rochester; George E.

Marshall, Fairport, both of NY.

[73] Assignee: Xerox Corporation, Stamford, Conn. [22] Filed: June 29,1970

[21] Appl. No.: 50,488

[52] US. Cl...... ..355/l28, 355/82, 355/115 151 Int. Cl. ..G03b 27/04 I58] Field oiSearch ..355/12,25,113-132,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 708,369 9/1902 Lewis ..355/130 1,426,117 8/1922 Smith ..355/113 1,780,701 11/1930 Crane ..355/1l3 X 1 Feb. 15, 1972 2,155,149 4/1939 Rutherford ..355/1 13 2,774,289 12/1956 Co11ins ..355/91 2,898,833 8/1959 Aydlett ..355/1 13 3,140,645 7/1964 Block et a1. 355/1 15 X 3,234,868 2/1966 Appledom et a1. ..355/1 15 Primary Examiner-Joseph F. Peters, Jr. Assistant Examiner-Richard M. Sheer Attorney-James J. Ralabate, Norman E. Schrader and Melvin A. Klein 1 1 ABSTRACT A platen cover for a copying machine in which a top housing is formed by contiguous walls with an opened bottom overlying a platen glass on which document material to be reproduced is placed. A diaphragm assembly under tension is secured to the bottom of the top housing to ensure lighttight covering of the platen glass to prevent radiation from emanating beyond the cover.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures .mI v

PAIENTEIJFEB 15 I972 3.642.371

sum 1 or 3 l I l5 4 MAM A- m A T TOR/V5 Y PLATEN COVER FOR COPYING MACHINE This invention relates to a platen cover and more particularly to a cover apparatus of the type for restraining bound volumes or books as well as sheet material in an object plane of a reproduction machine in a safe and reliable manner.

Heretofore there has been available reproduction machines having flexible platen members that are capable of accommodating both sheet material and bound volumes or books. Usually flexible members adapt to the curve of an object to be reproduced or book but are not sealed in light tight relation over the platen area as described, for example, in US. Pats. No. 2,638,827 or 2,737,099.

With the advent of high speed reproduction equipment, there has been an increasing demand to use exposure systems of very high intensity. These exposure systems have often been found hazardous and not acceptable because of harmful effects to parts of the human body, as for example, the retina or skin areas. Attempts to overcome these hazards and still achieve the intended operation with such equipment have not been entirely successful.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved platen cover for a reproduction machine.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for covering a platen overlying a source of radiation to ensure shielding of radiation.

It is another object of the present invention to ensure sheet material and bound volumes or books are held firmly against a glass platen.

It is another object of the present invention to make high quality copies of single sheets or bound volumes and books from a single platen area.

It is another object of the present invention to ensure safety of machine operators from radiation hazard.

These as well as other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is an isometric view of the platen cover of the present invention arranged on a reproduction machine;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the platen cover;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the platen cover;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the platen cover illustrating operation with a book to be reproduced.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown platen cover apparatus generally designated by the numeral which receives sheet material or bound volumes and books alike to be reproduced by a suitable reproduction machine, as for'example, a xerographic machine which has a control panel 12.

The document information to be reproduced is placed on a transparent platen made out of glass or other suitable material and held in registration by closing the platen cover apparatus thereover which latches to the machine frame as will become more apparent. Platen glass 15 enables the document information being copied to be viewed by a photoreceptor (not shown) and is normally rectangular in shape although other configurations may be readily contemplated. While the platen glass is shown as being flat it will be appreciated that the glass 15 may also be curved. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the document material or book to be copied is normally placed face down on the platen glass and the lower side thereof illuminated by a suitable light source (not shown) during the reproduction cycle.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-5, the platen cover apparatus comprises a boxlike top housing 21 which has an opened bottom and is made out of a suitable light weight rubber material. Preferably, the rubber material is Hypalon rubber for flexibility and strength and is colored white to reflect light rays through the machine optical system. Extending from the forward side of the top housing 21 is an extended portion 23 which serves as a handle for pulling platen assembly down into copying position. At the rear side of the platen cover is a spring assembly which urges the platen cover apparatus in an upward position until engaging a stop 32 making an angle of between about 50 to about and preferably about 70 to the horizontal. The spring assembly comprises a pair of coil springs 35 which have one end received in a pivot housing 37 pivotable on a stationary shaft 38 and the other end received in a collar member 39 secured to the machine frame. By this arrangement, the platen cover apparatus is urged in an upward position by spring members 35 acting on the pivot housing 37 which is secured to an angle bracket 41 of top housing 21 by means of screws 43. When the platen cover apparatus is to be closed on a document or book positioned on the platen glass 15, a downward force must be exerted against the action of the spring members 35 until a latch member 45 engages a locking member 47 on the machine frame actuatable by a solenoid as will be explained.

Referring particularly now to FIG. 4, there is shown a diaphragm assembly which is secured to the opened bottom of top housing 21. The diaphragm assembly comprises a molded diaphragm member 53 made of Hypalon rubber or any other suitable material which is prestretched to fit across an inner frame member 59. Diaphragm member 53 has a thickness ranging from about 20 to about 30 mils and is stretched to about 3 to about 6 percent which enables the diaphragm member to stretch and conform to the shape of sheet material or a bound volume such as a book (FIG. 5). As a safety feature to prevent the diaphragm member from overtensioning, there is an extension 55 from top housing 21 which limits the thickness of an object to be placed under the top housing to the stretch tolerances of the diaphragm member. In order to enable a lighttight fitting of the diaphragm member with the top housing 21, the diaphragm member is clamped to the inner frame 59 by self-tapping screws 65 which are received by an outer frame 62.

Also received between inner and outer frame 59 and 62 is a sealing member 63 made out of suitable elastomeric material. The diaphragm assembly is held securely in place around the sidewalls of the top housing by screw members 65 received in openings 68 formed in the top housing. In operation, control panel 12 may be programmed for the number of copies desired and then a print button pressed. At the end of the copying cycle, latch member 45 is released from locking member 47 actuated in response to a signal received by a solenoid SOL-1 and the top housing opened through the action of springs 35. It has been found that it is often desirable when the top housing is closed but before the copying sequence is commenced for the top housing to be opened as where adjustment of the document or book is necessary. To provide for this, a release button 75 is located under the extension 23 which closes a switch 77. Pressing release button to close switch 77 while the machine is in the printing cycle will have no effect due to a built-in interlock with machine control. However, the release button at any other time causes SOL-1 to be energized which actuates locking member 47 to release latch member 45 thereby enabling top housing 21 to open by spring action as aforementioned. By this arrangement, the solenoid SOL-1 has two modes of operation. The first mode is upon a coincidence signal which is generated by the machine control. Whenever the number of copies has been programmed and generated, the machine realizes the coincidence and generates the signal to energize the solenoid. The second mode is when the operator wishes to reposition the document or book on platen glass 15. At this time operator must press a stop print button 81 if the machine is running to stop the machine. After a slight delay, release button 75 is pressed to close switch 77 which causes the solenoid to be energized thereby raising the top housing. In this manner, there is no danger of radiation exposure to a machine operator in the vicinity of the platen cover apparatus since opening of the apparatus is prevented during the copying cycle.

while the invention has been described and illustrated herein as a preferred form of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and intent of the invention which is to be limited only to the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a copying machine in which document material to be reproduced is positioned on a transparent platen, an improved cover apparatus for holding the document material in copying position comprising a machine frame,

contiguous walls forming a top housing with an opened bottom overlying a transparent platen on the machine frame,

a diaphragm assembly including a diaphragm member stretched over a diaphragm frame coextensive with the opened bottom of said top housing, and

clamping means arranged on the periphery of the diaphragm frame for securing said diaphragm assembly along the periphery of said top housing to affect a lighttight relationship of the platen area when said top housing is in operative copying position,

said top housing including hook means engageable with an actuatable member on the machine frame, said actuatable member being actuated in response to a signal from machine control means indicating a copying cycle is completed, and

a platen release switch located on the top housing coupled to the machine control means for disengaging said hook means from the actuatable member at a predetermined time when the machine is not in copying operation.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said top housing is pivotable from an operative copying position with said diaphragm member urged in pressure contact against said transparent platen to a noncopying position making an angle ranging from about 50 to 80 with said transparent platen.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 including spring means associated with said top housing for urging said top housing in its noncopying position away from said transparent platen.

4. Cover apparatus comprising contiguous walls forming a top housing with an opened bottom overlying a platen area,

a diaphragm assembly including a diaphragm member stretched over a frame coextensive with the opened bottom of said top housing, and

clamping means arranged on the periphery of the frame for securing said diaphragm assembly along the periphery of said top housing to affect a lighttight relationship when said diaphragm member is urged against a receiving surface,

said clamping means includes fastening members received in said frame and said top housing and a sealing member extending along the periphery of said frame along the bottommost portion thereof.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said diaphragm member is made of elastomeric material having a thickness ranging from about 20 to about 30 mils to enable deforming over objects of a predetermined thickness and then resuming a planar shape.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein a one of the walls of said top housing has extending portions to limit the size of an object encompassed by said housing to prevent damage resulting to said diaphragm member. 

1. In a copying machine in which document material to be reproduced is positioned on a transparent platen, an improved cover apparatus for holding the document material in copying position comprising a machine frame, contiguous walls forming a top housing with an opened bottom overlying a transparent platen on the machine frame, a diaphragm assembly including a diaphragm member stretched over a diaphragm frame coextensive with the opened bottom of said top housing, and clamping means arranged on the periphery of the diaphragm frame for securing said diaphragm assembly along the periphery of said top housing to affect a lighttight relationship of the platen area when said top housing is in operative copying position, said top housing including hook means engageable with an actuatable member on the machine frame, said actuatable member being actuated in response to a signal from machine control means indicating a copying cycle is completed, and a platen release switch located on the top housing coupled to the machine control means for disengaging said hook means from the actuatable member at a predetermined time when the machine is not in copying operation.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said top housing is pivotable from an operative copying position with said diaphragm member urged in pressure contact against said transparent platen to a noncopying position making an angle ranging from about 50* to 80* with said transparent platen.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 including spring means associated with said top housing for urging said top housing in its noncopying position away from said transparent platen.
 4. Cover apparatus comprising contiguous walls forming a top housing with an opened bottom overlying a platen area, a diaphragm assembly including a diaphragm member stretched over a frame coextensive with the opened bottom of said top housing, and clamping means arranged on the periphery of the frame for securing said diaphragm assembly along the periphery of said top housing to affect a lighttight relationship when said diaphragm member is urged against a receiving surface, said clamping means includes fastening members received in said frame and said top housing and a sealing member extending aloNg the periphery of said frame along the bottommost portion thereof.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said diaphragm member is made of elastomeric material having a thickness ranging from about 20 to about 30 mils to enable deforming over objects of a predetermined thickness and then resuming a planar shape.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein a one of the walls of said top housing has extending portions to limit the size of an object encompassed by said housing to prevent damage resulting to said diaphragm member. 